Nadal in no rush to join the super-coach trend

Nadal in no rush to join the super-coach trend

Briton Andy Murray started it. Four time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic pulled a major surprise with his choice, while all-time great Roger Federer even has one despite years of shunning the entire coaching concept.

'I believe in the continuation of the things'

"Seriously for me, I believe in the continuation of the things, something (that has worked for a) long time," Nadal said as he looked ahead to his Australian Open second-round match against local hope Thanasi Kokkinakis on Thursday.

"My team is the same since I start. That is something that I am proud of."

Toni Nadal has coached his 27-year-old nephew since he was four years old and guided the bustling left-hander to an Olympic gold medal and 13 grand slam titles - two of which came in 2013 when few wondered if Rafa's creaky knees would ever make him a force in the game again.

Nadal now sits behind Pete Sampras (14) and Federer (17) on the all-time list of men's Grand Slam singles winners and the World No 1 was adamant his bond with his uncle had got him to within sight of tennis immortality.

Trend setter

Murray started the trend amongst the 'Big Four' when he linked with eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl in late 2011.

The Scot wanted to break the strangehold Federer, Nadal and Djokovic had over the men's game - something he was able to achieve inside 12 months when he won the Olympic gold medal and the US Open title in 2012 before he went on to win Wimbledon in 2013.

Djokovic teamed with winner Boris Becker

Djokovic, bidding for his fourth successive title at Melbourne Park has six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker in his corner, while Federer, who has done without a regular coach for long periods, said Sweden's Stefan Edberg would help him out on a part-time basis.

Despite the strength of the other members of the 'Big Four' and play of fifth-ranked Argentine Juan Martin del Potro - the only other man to win a grand slam title in the last five years - Nadal is convinced he has the right team behind him to achieve even greater success.